Since its first launch in 2013, the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer jacket has been a favorite amongst ultralight hikers. Even now, its warmth-to-weight ratio is sort of unparalleled within the light-weight puffy class. Then in 2020, the model dropped a revamped model—the Ghost Whisperer/2.
On this evaluate, we cowl all of the options the brand new mannequin inherited from its predecessor, in addition to these options each new and improved. By the top of this text, you’ll be outfitted with every thing it’s worthwhile to know to resolve whether or not the Ghost Whisperer/2 is price its steep worth to your adventures.
A light-weight puffy is important for many hikers. And selecting one which’s each ultralight and packable makes selections simpler. With out including a lot in the way in which of weight or quantity to your pack, a light-weight puffy ensures your consolation and security in the event you get misplaced within the woods or the climate turns. On the very least, you’ve bought a pleasant fluffy pillow at your disposal.
The truth is, a puffy is so ubiquitous to mountaineering that it makes up one of many three pillars within the Path Wardrobe Trinity: an applicable baselayer, a rain shell, and a light-weight puffy. This versatile mixture of tops will preserve you snug in a variety of climates and temperatures.
Let’s go over an important classes with regards to purchasing for an ultralight puffy. As you’ll see, the Ghost Whisperer/2 earns excessive marks throughout all these metrics, making it a flexible and reliable alternative for any out of doors endeavour.
Heat
The Ghost Whisperer/2 comprises roughly 3 ounces of 800 fill energy down, comprising 90% goose down and 10% goose feathers. The down is Allied RDS-certified, which means it’s ethically sourced and traceable. With the correct baselayer, you possibly can count on to remain heat right down to 0°C (32°F).
Climate Resistance
The 100% recycled, ripstop nylon shell is handled with a Sturdy Water Repellent (DWR) end. This implies the Ghost Whisperer/2 will stand as much as mild showers and humid mornings.
What about in wetter situations, when water begins to penetrate by means of the face material? Fortunately, the goose down insulation can be protected. Every feather is individually handled with a DWR coating. This is among the up to date options when in comparison with its predecessor; the Hyper-Dry Down (HDD) permits wearers to remain dry in messier situations.
Like every down puffy, it’s nonetheless finest follow to keep away from getting it too soaked, as it could take a very long time to dry and result in annoying clumps of feathers and decreased loft. In chilly, moist situations, contemplate layering your down puffy for heat beneath a water-resistant rain shell.
Match
Total, the jacket suits slim. The truth is, like most clothes produced by Mountain Hardwear, the match tends to be a bit on the small aspect. That means that in the event you usually put on an L from different manufacturers, you may wish to up-size to an XL. Likewise, in the event you put on an XS, contemplate sizing as much as an S.
The Ghost Whisperer/2 additionally has barely longer arms than its opponents. This enables for unrestricted motion with out having to fret about stretching and tears. The one grievance is that the shoulder space feels a bit slender.
Options
As an ultralight puffy, the Ghost Whisperer/2 is spartan on options. Nonetheless, the fundamentals are lined. To start with, you’ve bought two massive, zippered hand pockets with ample storage. On the wrists, smooth elastic cuffs preserve out the chilly.
The hood can be rimmed with a smooth elastic to make it form-fitting. One other good characteristic is the raised collar; when absolutely zipped, the collar protects your chin and prevents chilly drafts from coming into across the neck.
A drop hem additionally wards off again drafts, whereas a discrete pull-tab means that you can modify the jacket for a tighter match, so it received’t trip up whereas scrambling a steep slope or climbing large partitions.
It’s price mentioning that the Ghost Whisperer doesn’t have any adjustable tabs across the hood. This shouldn’t come as a shock because the jacket’s major perform is to be as light-weight as doable. One other lacking characteristic that is perhaps a deal-breaker for some is the absence of an inside pocket—not likely an a priori important, however some folks prefer it.
Weight
The lads’s measurement medium weighs a mere 8.3 oz (236 g), whereas the ladies’s weighs even much less at 7.8 oz (220.5 g). That’s a mean weight of half-a-pound—peanuts contemplating its distinctive heat score and flexibility.
Packability
The appropriate zip pocket doubles as a stuff pocket for the jacket itself. The lads’s medium stows down into roughly the scale of a 1L Nalgene bottle, making it extraordinarily packable. A carabiner loop permits climbers to hold it from their harness when not in use.
Sturdiness
The 10D X 10D ripstop nylon face is notoriously sturdy. Even the unique Ghost Whisperer was thought of sturdy with its barely much less sturdy 10D X 7D nylon building. In case you do encounter a gap or tear, the ripstop will stop it from operating any additional.
Fashion
Both you suppose puffies are cool otherwise you don’t. I occur to suppose puffies are very cool and the Ghost Whisperer is a wonderful instance. Definitely on the path it’s thought of hiker-chic. However even in additional city settings, like at a bar or occasion, it’s an attention grabbing piece.
For one, the match is slim and flattering. Second, the myriad colors are considerate and distinctive. The Ghost Whisperer/2 additionally doesn’t endure from the crinklyness/ rubbish bag sheen of lower-end puffies. Main model factors.
We scoured the Altitude Sports activities product web page to see what our personal clients had been saying in regards to the Ghost Whisperer/2 jacket. In all, it obtained a mixed whole of 268 opinions throughout all variations, and earned a formidable common score of 4.5 / 5 stars.
Christopher W. says:
My new go-to jacket for travelling, primarily as a result of it’s so mild and small when packed down I can shove it virtually wherever simply in case. Temperature-wise it holds as much as -5C with a shell.
Marie-Hélène G. writes:
I put on this jacket as a midlayer beneath a shell for alpine snowboarding.
I’ve tried completely different fashions (from completely different manufacturers), and that is my favorite. It’s like a second pores and skin: I don’t really feel it. It’s light-weight, lets me transfer freely, and doesn’t limit my neck or wrists.
As for its heat, I solely used it at temperatures between -5°C and 0°C. At these temperatures, I actually didn’t get chilly.
The Ghost Whisperer/2 is impressively heat for its weight. Nonetheless, there are limits to its utility. The jacket actually is an ideal outer layer for many three-season mountaineering situations and can preserve you snug proper right down to about freezing (when paired with an acceptable base layer). Past 0°C (32°F), nonetheless, you threat shedding valuable physique warmth.
For winter mountaineering and frosty city environments, the Ghost Whisperer makes a superb mid-layer beneath a extra heavy-duty parka.
How do you wash the Ghost Whisperer/2 jacket?
A mild hand-wash is finest, however it may be messy and time-consuming. In case you’re going to make use of a washer, use a front-loader; the agitator in a top-loader can injury your jacket. Wash chilly and set the machine to delicate.
For many down merchandise, it’s a good suggestion to make use of a dryer. This enables the feathers to flow into as an alternative of clumping on the backside of the garment—an unlucky consequence when got down to air-dry. After all, don’t overlook to make use of the tumble dry setting. Throw in some tennis balls to assist reinvigorate your jacket’s loft and voilà—good as new.
The place are Mountain Hardwear merchandise made?
Mountain Hardwear was based in 1993 in California. At first, their clothes had been manufactured regionally. In 2003, nonetheless, Mountain Hardwear was acquired by sportswear retail big Columbia Sports activities. At present, their manufacturing is predominantly outsourced throughout Asia, in international locations like China, Japan, Vietnam, and India.
The reality is that outsourced manufacturing makes good enterprise sense. It presents an economical approach for corporations to supply high-quality merchandise that stay inexpensive in Western markets. Even Arc’teryx solely produces 30% of their merchandise regionally.
It must also be famous that the factories contracted by manufacturers like Mountain Hardwear, Arc’teryx, and the like are recognized to uphold American manufacturing requirements relating to working situations and wages.
The Ghost Whisperer/2 by Mountain {Hardware} is an outstanding down puffy. The jacket itself is sturdy and versatile, heat and ultralight. Although the worth level is excessive, it’s worth is effortlessly accounted for by its high quality. And, to take that worth a step additional, contemplate that the Ghost Whisperer/2 is constructed by means of moral and sustainable manufacturing practices. The truth is, very similar to the Arc’teryx Alpha SV, the Ghost Whisperer/2 is BLUESIGN permitted.
So, who’s the Ghost Whisperer/2 not for? Nicely, for these of you who already personal the unique Ghost Whisperer, there’s not sufficient new floor right here to make the improve worthwhile or attractive. In actuality, the most important updates are the HDD insulation and the barely stronger ripstop nylon face.
And what about individuals who merely don’t wish to break the financial institution on a puffy? In that case, try The North Face’s ThermoBall Eco Hoodie (males’s; girls’s) as an alternative. It’s not fairly as mild or heat because the Ghost Whisperer/2, nevertheless it’s a decent entry within the ultralight puffy class.
For everybody else, just one query stays: Would you like your Ghost Whisperer/2 with a hood (males’s; girls’s), or with out one (males’s; girls’s)?